rolf in the woods-第35章

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wben　they　got　six　beavers。



The　morning　dawned　clear　and　bright。　　As　they　breakfasted；　　they

noticed　an　extraordinary　gathering　of　ravens　far　away　to　the

north；　beyond　any　country　they　had　visited。　　At　least　twenty　or

thirty　of　the　birds　were　sailing　　in　great　circles　high　above　a

certain　place；　uttering　a　deep；　sonorous　croak；　from　time　to

time。　　Occasionally　one　of　the　ravens　would　dive　down　out　of　sight。



〃Why　do　they　fly　above　that　way？〃



〃That　is　to　let　other　ravens　know　there　is　food　here。　Their　eyes

are　very　good。　　They　can　see　the　signal　ten　miles　away；　so　all

come　to　the　place。　　My　father　told　me　that　you　can　gather　all　the

ravens　for　twenty　miles　by　leaving　a　carcass　so　they　can　see　it

and　signal　each　other。　　〃



〃Seems　as　if　we　should　look　into　that。　　Maybe　another　panther；〃

was　Rolf's　remark。



The　Indian　nodded；　so　leaving　the　bundle　of　furs　in　a　safe　place

with　the　snowshoes；　that　they　carried　on　a　chance；　they　set　out

over　the　hard　crust。　　It　was　two　or　three　miles　to　the　ravens'

gathering；　and；　as　before；　it　proved　to　be　over　a　cedar　brake

where　was　a　deer　yard。



Skookum　knew　all　about　it。　　He　rushed　into　the　woods；　filled　with

the　joy　of　martial　glory。　　But　speedily　came　running　out　again　as

hard　as　he　could；　yelling　〃yow；　yow；　yowl〃　for　help；　while

swiftly　following；　behind　him　were　a　couple　of　gray　wolves。

Quonab　waited　till　they　were　within　forty　yards；　then；　seeing　the

men；　the　wolves　slowed　up　and　veered；　Quonab　fired；　one　of　the

wolves　gave　a　little；　doglike　yelp。　　Then　they　leaped　into　the

bushes　and　were　lost　to　view。



A　careful　study　of　the　snow　showed　one　or　two　triffing　traces　of

blood。　　In　the　deer　yard　they　found　at　least　a　dozen　carcasses　of

deer　killed　by　the　wolves；　but　none　very　recent。　　They　saw　but

few　deer　and　nothing　more　of　the　wolves；　for　the　crust　had　made

all　the　country　easy；　and　both　kinds　fled　before　the　hunters。



Exploring　a　lower　level　of　willow　country　in　hopes　of　finding

beaver　delayed　them；　and　it　was　afternoon　when　they　returned　to

the　half…way　shanty；　to　find　everything　as　they　left　it；　except

that　their　Pack　of　furs　had　totally　　disappeared。



Of　course；　the　hard　crust　gave　no　sign　of　track。　　Their　first

thought　was　of　the　old　enemy；　but；　seeking　far　and　near　for

evidence；　they　found　pieces　of　an　ermine　skin；　and　a　quarter　mile

farther；　the　rest　of　it；　then；　at　another　place；　fragments　of　a

muskrat's　skin。　　Those　made　it　look　like　the　work　of　the

trapper's　enemy；　the　wolverine；　which；　though　rare；　was　surely

found　in　these　hills。　　Yes！　there　was　a　wolverine　scratch　mark；

and　here　another　piece　of　the　rat　skin。　　It　was　very　clear　who

was　the　thief。



〃He　tore　up　the　cheapest　ones　of　the　lot　anyway；〃　said　Rolf。



Then　the　trappers　stared　at　each　other　significantly　　only　the

cheap　ones　destroyed；　why　should　a　wolverine　show　such

discrimination？　　There　was　no　positive　sign　of　wolverine；　　in

fact；　the　icy　snow　gave　no　sign　of　anything。　　There　was　little

doubt　that　the　tom　furs　and　the　scratch　marks　were　there　to

mislead；　that　this　was　the　work　of　a　human　robber；　almost

certainly　Hoag。



He　had　doubtless　seen　them　leave　in　the　morning；　and　it　was

equally　sure；　since　he　had　had　hours　of　start；　he　would　now　be

far　away。



〃Ugh！　　Give　him　few　days　to　think　he　safe；　then　I　follow　and

settle　all；〃　and　this　time　the　Indian　clearly　meant　to　end　the

matter。







Chapter　45。　The　Subjugation　of　Hoag



A　feller　as　weeps　for　pity　and　never　does　a　finger…tap　to　　help

is　'bout　as　much　use　as　an　overcoat　on　a　drowning　man。　　Sayings

of　Si　Sylvanne。



SOME　remarkable　changes　of　weather　made　some　remarkable　changes

in　their　plan　and　saved　their　enemy　from　immediate　molestation。

For　two　weeks　it　was　a　succession　of　thaws　and　there　was　much

rain。　　The　lake　was　covered　with　six　inches　of　water；　the　river

had　a　current　above　the　ice；　that　was　rapidly　eating；　the　latter

away。　　Everywhere　there　were　slush　and　wet　snow　that　put　an　end

to　travel　and　brought　on　the　spring　with　a　rush。



Each　night　there　was；　indeed；　a　trifling　frost；　but　each　day's

sun　seemed　stronger；　and　broad；　bare　patches　of　ground　appeared

on　all　sunny　slopes。



On　the　first　crisp　day　the　trappers　set　out　to　go　the　rounds；

knowing　full　well　that　this　was　the　end　of　the　season。

Henceforth　for　six　months　deadfall　and　snare　would　lie　idle　and

unset。



They　went　their　accustomed　line；　carrying　their　snowshoes；　　but

rarely　needing　them。　　Then　they　crossed　a　large　track　to　which

Quonab　pointed；　and　grunted　　affirmatively　as　Rolf　said　〃Bear？〃

Yes！　the　bears　were　about　once　more；　their　winter　sleep　was　over。

Now　they　were　fat　and　the　fur　was　yet　prime；　in　a　month　they

would　be　thin　and　shedding。　　Now　is　the　time　for　bear　hunting

with　either　trap　or　dog。



Doubtless　Skookum　thought　the　party　most　fortunately　equipped　in

the　latter　respect；　but　no　single　dog　is　enough　to　bay　a　bear。

There　must　be　three　or　four　to　bother　him　behind；　to　make　him

face　about　and　fight；　one　dog　merely　makes　him　run　faster。



They　had　no　traps；　and　knowing　that　a　spring　bear　is　a　far

traveller；　they　made　no　attempt　to　follow。



The　deadfalls　yielded　two　martens；　but　one　of　them　was　spoiled　by

the　warm　weather。　　They　learned　at　last　that　the　enemy　had　a

trap…line；　for　part　of　which　he　used　their　deadfalls。　　He　had

been　the　rounds　lately　and　had　profited　at　least　a　little　by

their　labours。



The　track；　though　two　days　old；　was　not　hard　to　follow；　either　on

snow　or　ground。　　Quonab　looked　to　the　lock　of　his　gun；　his　lower

lip　tightened　and　he　strode　along。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Quonab？　　Not　shoot？〃



〃When　I　get　near　enough；〃　and　the　dangerous　look　in　the　red　man's

eye　told　Rolf　to　be　quiet　and　follow。



In　three　miles　they　passed　but　three　of　his　marten　traps　　very

lazy　trapping　　and　then　found　a　great　triangle　of　logs　by　a

tree　with　a　bait　and　signs　enough　to　tell　the　experienced　eye

that；　in　that　corner；　was　hidden　a　huge　steel　trap　for　bear。



They　were　almost　too　late　in　restraining　the　knowledge…　hunger　of

Skookum。　　They　went　on　a　mile　or　two　and　realized　in　so　doing

that；　however　poor　a　trapper　the　enemy　might　be；　he　was　a　good

tramper　and　knew　the　country。



At　sundown　they　came　to　their　half…way　shelter　and　put　up　there

for　the　night。　　Once　when　Rolf　went　out　to　glimpse　the　skies

before　turning　in；　he　heard　a　far　tree　creaking　and　wondered；　for

it　was　dead　calm。　　Even　Skookum　noticed　it。　　But　it　was　not

repeated。　　Next　morning　they　went　on。



There　are　many　quaint　sounds　in　the　woods　at　all　times；　the

rasping　of　trees；　at　least　a　dozen　different　calls　by　jays；　twice

as　many　by　ravens；　and　occasional　notes　from　chicadees；　grouse；

and　owls。　　The　quadrupeds　in　general　are　more　silent；　but　the　red

squirrel　is　ever　about　and　noisy；　as　well　as　busy。



Far…reaching　sounds　are　these　echoes　of　the　woods　　some　of　them

very　far。　　Probably　there　were　not　five　minutes　of　the　day　or

night　when　some　weird；　woodland　chatter；　scrape；　crack；　screech；

or　whistle　did　not　reach　the　keen　ears　of　that　ever…alert　dog。

That　is；　three　hundred　times　a　day　his　outer　ear　submitted　to　his

inner　ear　some　　report　of　things　a…doing；　which　same　report　was

as　often　for　many　days　disregarded　as　of　no　interest　or　value。

But　this　did　not　mean　that　he　missed　anything；　the　steady　tramp；

tramp　of　their　feet；　while　it　dulled　all　sounds　for　the　hunter；

seemed　to　have　no　effect　on　Skookum。　　Again　the　raspy　squeal　of

some　far　tree　reached　his　inmost　brain；　and　his　hair　rose　as　he

stopped　and　gave　a　low　〃woof。〃



The　hunters　held　still；　the　wise　ones　always　do；　when　a　dog　says

〃Stop！〃　They　waited。　　After　a　few　minutes　it　came　again　　merely

the　long…drawn　creak　of　a　tree　bough；　wind…rubbed　on　its

neighbour。



And　yet；　〃Woof；　woof；　woof；〃　said　Skookum；　and　ran　ahead。



〃Come　back；　you　little　fool！〃　cried　Rolf。



But　Skookum